Doggie first aid course being run by business

Dog owners have the chance to learn first aid for their pooches thanks to a course being run by a business in Sleaford.

The ‘canine first aid’ programme is available through Aurora Training and Security Solutions.

It is one of a host of courses run by the business, with others including first aid at work, basic self-defence, and conflict management and personal safety.

Business owner Simon Maney, 48, a former policeman in the Royal Air Force, said: “The aim of the course is to give you that extra little bit of knowledge to help your dog or someone else’s dog in a first aid situation.

“The course is not to replace going to a vet, but it will give you the skills and confidence to stay calm and do what you can before seeking professional help.”

He added: “The course teaches you skill to deal with everything from a rose thorn in a dog’s pad, heat stress and impalements to cardiac arrest and how to perform CPR on your animal while transporting it to a vet.

“Like human first aid, the better the quality of intervention, the greater the chance of saving the animal’s life.”

The course costs £55 per person and lasts for one day.

The certification lasts three years.

The business was founded in 2012 and, in recent months, moved to premises in Southgate, having previously been run from home.

It is currently exploring the possibility of offering security patrols in Sleaford and discussions have been had with the Community Safety Partnership to this end.

Simon said the idea would be to ‘assist the police’, rather than ‘replace the police’.

For more on the courses offered by Aurora Training and Security Solutions, visit www.aurorasolutions.co.uk.